Software and Games : GSP : Children's Fun & Learning

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Zoombinis Triple Pack

Avanquest Software

These fun and exciting quests and daring rescues present Maths without numbers where children can learn mathematical thinking skills including hypothesis testing, algebraic thinking and set theory. Win 95/98/200/XP. NOT MAC compatible. Ages 7 to 12.
Learning Ladder Pack: Ages 5-8 (Learning Ladder Years 1&2, Learning Ladder Year 3)

Dorling Kindersley
DK Cluefinders Triple Pack (PC)

Avanquest Software
Bear & Penguin's Big Reading Adventure

Dorling Kindersley

Bear and Penguin's Big Reading Adventure is another excellent program developed by Dorling Kindersley. It is aimed at children aged 5-7 years old and helps to develop a wide range of literacy skills through four fun games.
There are very clear instructions and each game is initially demonstrated, so children will quickly be able to develop confidence and independence. The games, which can be played at three different levels, have been carefully developed to practice the skills that children are learning as part of the literacy hour in school; for example, spelling words by choosing the missing sounds and putting words in the correct order to create a sentence. There are also two storybooks that children can choose to read together or alone. If children want a break from the games there is also an excellent printing section where children can make their own stationary and create lists, cards, writing paper and signs. This is a brilliant way to encourage children to write for a range of different purposes.
As children play the games they collect snowflakes and they are then rewarded with a sticker for their sticker album. When all the stickers have been collected they can print out a certificate and listen to the reward song.
There is an excellent guide for parents that discusses the skills the games are developing. The child profile shows parents how many times children have played each game and at what level and also suggests follow-on worksheets that can be printed out and used with children.
Bear and Penguin's Big Reading Adventure would be an excellent buy for parents or teachers to use with children aged 5-7 years. --Amanda York
Bear & Penguin's Big Maths Adventure

Dorling Kindersley

Bear and Penguin's Big Maths Adventure is a fun and easy-to-use program designed to develop young children's addition and subtraction skills. This program would be excellent to use with 5-7 year olds.
There are five different games to choose from, all of them clearly explained so that children can develop their independence when using the computer. The games, which can be played at three different levels, have been carefully developed to practice the skills that children are learning as part of the numeracy hour in school. It is advised that the games are played in the numbered order so that there is a progression of skills development. The maths adventure involves, for example, filling in the missing numbers on the maths machine and painting a picture by answering addition and subtraction sums. After playing all of the games children are allowed to play the Super game which helps to consolidate the skills that they have been learning with mental arithmetic against the clock. Some more able children may find the maths a little easy, but for most children this would be an excellent way of developing and consolidating addition and subtraction to 20.
There is an excellent guide for parents which discusses the skills the games focus on. A range of very good worksheets can be printed out and used with children to consolidate the maths that they have been doing.
If children fancy a break from maths, there is also an excellent printing section where children can make their own stationary and create door signs, birthday cards, letterheads and invitations. This is a brilliant way to encourage children to write for a range of different purposes.
Bear and Penguin's Big Maths Adventure is another excellent Dorling Kindersley program and would be an excellent buy for parents or teachers to use with children aged 5-7 years. --Amanda York
Become A Human Body Explorer

Dorling Kindersley
Play and Learn: Reading & Counting

Dorling Kindersley

Early learning through play! Simple, fun, and effective games to help children read and count. 101 games to help your youngsterread and count including phonics, number, shapes and memory puzzles. Ages 3 to 5. Windows 95/98.
DK Learning Ladder Triple Pack - Year 4-6 2005

Avanquest Software
DK I Love Learning Triple Pack 2005

Avanquest Software
Become A World Explorer

Dorling Kindersley
Letts KS3 Maths Interactive Revision Guide (Ages 11-14) (PC)

Letts
DK Learning Ladder Triple Pack - Preschool to Yr 3 2005 (PC)

Avanquest Software
Dora the Explorer - Candy Lane (PC)

Avanquest Software

Candy Land Join Dora, Boots and friends on their way to a candy land fiesta. Age 3 and above. Windows 2000/XP/Vista.
Dora The Explorer World Adventure

Avanquest Software

World of adventure Oh, no! Swiper has mistakenly swiped Friendship bracelets from all over the world! To save Friendship Day, Dora needs to team up with Swiper - and YOU - for a world of adventure. Play games and solve puzzles to help Dora and Swiper search land, sea, and sky to bring back the bracelets to France, Tanzania, Russia and China! Windows 98/ME/XP/Vista. Age 3 to 6.
Learning Ladder: Years 1 & 2

Dorling Kindersley
Learning Ladder: Pre-School

Dorling Kindersley

Learning Ladder Preschool is an excellent CD-ROM packed with a wide range of activities for 3-5 year olds. Woody the Pencil guides children through the different activities, which are very well explained.
Children will enjoy becoming familiar with the mouse and navigating around the room making toys move and change. They will also enjoy doing the different activities such as painting the colouring book, having a go at recording their voice, listening to a story, doing puzzles and much more.
By clicking on the different bears children can carry out activities related to words, numbers, time, directions/space, shapes and nature/objects. Each of these areas contains 18 different games for children to play, so there is plenty to keep them occupied. There's also a good range of activities, many of which support the Early Years Curriculum at school. For example, there are activities that work on identifying sounds in words and on ordering, counting, matching, etc.
Children are rewarded with stickers when they complete an activity correctly and they will love collecting these in the sticker book. This would be an excellent buy for parents who want to introduce their child to using the computer in a fun and educational way. --Amanda York
DK Explorer Pack - Includes World, Human Body, History, Science & British Isles Explorer

Dorling Kindersley
Letts KS3 English Interactive Revision Guide (Ages 11-14) (PC)

Letts
Learning Ladder Year 6

Dorling Kindersley

Learning Ladder Year 6 is another excellent CD-ROM from Dorling Kindersley. It's aimed at children aged 10-11 and structured so that children listen to a lesson and then carry out exercises that help to consolidate the literacy and numeracy they are learning as part of the school curriculum. This CD-ROM would be invaluable for any child in Year 6 who is preparing for their SATs.
Exercises can be done at five different levels of difficulty, so that children are challenged and continue to make progress. For every 400 points that a child scores, they are rewarded with new pictures to use with the printing machine. As they gather more pictures they can enjoy designing their own cards, invitations and labels, which can be printed out.
Children can also have lots of fun navigating around Science City and learning lots of facts along the way. For example, they can find out about animals, food chains and gravity. The progress tracker clearly shows how each child is getting on with a system of green and red lights. This would quickly show parents where more help is needed. --Amanda York
Letts KS3 Science Interactive Revision Guide (Ages 11-14) (PC)

Letts